Oxytocin induction of labour: hyponatraemia and neonatal jaundice

To determine the effects of fluid restriction in induced labour with oxytocin in 5% dextrose solution, maternal venous blood and fetal cord venous blood were examined in 164 mothers in induced labour and 29 mothers with a spontaneous onset of labour. After satisfactory uterine activity was induced either the oxytocin infusion was managed according to routine delivery unit practice (n = 36), or infusion rates were halved (n = 45), or quartered (n = 43), or discontinued (n = 40). Despite fluid restriction during labour the mean sodium concentration in maternal blood or cord blood had fallen to a similar extent in all four induced groups at delivery. Potassium, urea, creatinine, total protein, and albumin in maternal blood or cord blood were affected differently by induced labour as compared with sodium. The fall in sodium concentration in maternal blood was a more consistent reflection of the total volume of fluid received, mean infusion rates and cord blood sodium after infusion rates were quartered or discontinued. The incidence of hyponatraemia was 5% in mothers and 8% in infants. A comparison of hyponatraemic and normonatraemic cord blood showed no significant differences in serum bilirubin levels or red cell counts, but more hyponatraemic infants developed neonatal jaundice. It is suggested that in induced labour fluid restriction alone does not prevent hyponatraemia and neonatal jaundice.